Blue Vibes by Herb Gibson

Produced by Silverado Records founder, Patrick Flynn, who considers it a "wonderful opportunity, and a dream come true," to be able to work with these great musicians; "I have been so blessed to work with Herb and these great players on this project, he is one of the most professional, and absolutely delightful people I have ever had the pleasure to know."

Any fans of jazz music, and most certainly all of Herb's local friends and followers are urged to check your local events calendars during 2007, as Herb will be playing various venues throughout the greater bay area. Currently, You can catch Herb every Friday and Saturday night, 8pm to Midnight, at Brannans' Resturant and Bar in Calistoga, California, 75 miles north of San Francisco in the heart of the wine country. "BLUE VIBES" is also available anytime at Silverado Records website, Silveradomusic.com.

PHIL ELWOOD; REVIEW

Any recording that swings from the first groove on is bound to grab my attention.

Herb Gibson's "Blue Vibes" swings hot, swings cool; gets into a mellow quartet rendition of " Midnight Waltz" as a starter and never loses the mellifluous mood until the conclusion of a quintet's "Comeback", nearly an hour later.

Vibist (and sometimes vocalist) Gibson presents two quartets and a quintet here: one features pianist Cedar Walton on four numbers; the other includes Spencer Allen, piano (joined by Walter Savage, bass, and Larry Hancock, Drums) on three tracks.

And then there's the fine rendition of "I'm getting sentimental over you" featuring an example of Graham Bruce's muted trumpet, splendid especially in some swaps with drummer Donald Bailey.

Walton's magic keyboard touch is nowhere better recorded, either in the lead, as an accompanist, or soloist. On "Midnight Waltz", the quartet's empathy is immediately evident, and on "Blue Vibes"(a great track) Savage's bass leads, before Walton, Savage, Hancock and Gibson come aboard.

The near-anthem, "Holy Land" is the third with Walton's piano and it's a fine rendition, indeed. The piano-bass match up is particularly noteworthy. "You've Changed", a 1941 pop song (Dick Haymes with Harry James' orchestra) gets a slow, mellow, vibrant treatment here, with Allen's piano outstanding.

The tempo structure of "People Make the World Go Around", with its repeated, droning piano chords, allows Gibson to open up on vibes; "Someone to Love" includes one of two Gibson vocals (the jump-blues "Comeback" the disc's final track, is the other) and Walton's accompaniment for Gibson is simply marvelous.

Besides the presence of Bailey and Bruce on "Getting Sentimental Over You", as mentioned above, the track also includes bassist Chris Amberger, who appears earlier on the disc on "Delilah", with Mel Martin on tenor sax, Kevin Moore on guitar and Curt Moore on drums.

"Delilah" is one of the best renditions on this disc. Gibson's crystal tone on the vibes matches Martin's firm tenor sax lines and Moore's brassy guitar. Great track.

Great Disc!

Phil Elwood was recently retired after nearly 37 years as the jazz columnist and reviewer for the San Francisco Examiner and Chronicle.

HERB GIBSON; BIO

Hubert "Herb" Gibson-Born in Minden, Louisiana, on February 14, 1932-studied music in high school. He moved to Oakland, California in 1951, at which time he attended the University of California at Berkeley. Herb started playing the vibraphone in 1959 and studied with jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson.

Herb served 20 years in the United State Air Force and during his enlistment lived in Japan for 4 years, while performing with the 746 Air Force Band at the Yomato Air Station near Tokyo. It was during this period that he met and played with a great many of the headlining musicians in the world. In 1972, Herb retired to civilian life.

Herb spent the next 7 years traveling and playing various types of music throughout the world, as well as in the Bay Area, with San Francisco being his home base. He later entered a more challenging career as manager and musical director, managing such known clubs in San Francisco as Spatz, Pier 47, and in 1986 he reopened The Jazz Workshop with Herbie Gee.

Throughout his careers, Herb has played with and booked such artists as Tony Scott, Dizzy Gillespie, Red Holloway, Eddie Harris, Jimmy Witherspoon, Oscar Brown Jr., Eddie Henderson, David "Fathead" Newman, and Mose Allison, to name a few.

In 1995 He produced and released his first CD titled "Herb Gibson and Friends". On this recording he is captured both live and in the recording studio with an outstanding cast of supporting musicians, featuring the world's most soulful artists including saxophonist Eddie Harris and vocalist Jimmy Witherspoon.

In 2001 Herb recorded two tracks ("Isn't She Lovely" and "Flatfoot Floogie") on a CD with his cousin Keb 'Mo' titled "The Big Wide Grin". Herb has also recorded part of the soundtrack for the recent movie "Matrix Reloaded".

Herb's latest CD,"BLUE VIBES", recorded at the Maple Station facility and released in February, 2004, on the Silverado Records label, features Herb with various friends, including four tracks with legendary jazz pianist Cedar Walton, and a track with world renowned Blues man, Keb 'Mo'.

At the present time, Herb is performing and promoting jazz entertainment in various Bay Area clubs, as well as throughout the country, including New York, Los Angeles, and Nevada.

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